Lemper Ayam is a beloved Indonesian snack (also popular in Malaysia/Singapore) featuring soft, fragrant glutinous rice encasing a savory, aromatic chicken filling, wrapped neatly in banana leaves and optionally grilled for a smoky finish.
The rice is infused with coconut milk and aromatic pandan leaves during double-steaming, while the filling packs bold rempah flavours from ginger, candle nuts, and roasted ground coriander seeds. Perfect for picnics, tea time, or parties — portable, gluten-free, and addictive!
A street food classic that’s surprisingly simple.
Lemper Ayam (Indonesian Glutinous Rice Rolls with Spiced Chicken)
Makes 12 – 14 Rolls
Ingredients
Chicken Filling
- 300 g chicken breast
- 50 g shallots about 4–5 medium
- 30 g candlenuts about 6–8 pieces
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 thin slices ginger about 10 g
- 1 stalk lemongrass thinly sliced
- 4 kaffir leaves
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tbsp roasted ground coriander seeds
- Pinch of salt for boiling chicken
Glutinous Rice (Pulot)
- 500 g glutinous rice
- 250 ml thick coconut milk + 100 ml water
- 2 – 3 pandan leaves knotted
- Pinch of salt
- Blue pea extract or food colouring
For Wrapping
- Banana leaves cut into 20 x 10 cm (8 x 4 in) rectangles
- Bamboo toothpicks or cocktail sticks
Instructions
Prepare Banana Leaves
- Wash banana leaves thoroughly. Cut into 20 x 10 cm rectangles.
- Scald in boiling water for 2–3 minutes until pliable. Drain and wipe dry. Set aside.
Make Chicken Filling
- Pound or blend shallots, candlenuts, garlic and ginger into a fine paste.
- Boil chicken in water with a pinch of salt until cooked (10–12 minutes). Cool, then shred finely. Reserve ¼ cup stock if needed.
- Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Fry the paste with crushed lemon grass stalk and kaffir leaves until fragrant and lightly browned (5–7 minutes).
- Add salt, sugar, pepper, and coriander. Stir well.
- Add shredded chicken and cook over low heat until dry, moist, and aromatic (8–10 minutes). Cool completely.
- Remove lemon grass stalks and kaffir leaves
Cook Glutinous Rice
- Soak rice in water for 1–2 hours. Drain well.
- Line steamer with pandan leaves. Spread rice evenly and add pinch of salt. Steam for 15–20 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Mix mixture with splashes . Pour coconut milk over rice and mix well.
- Sprinkle blue pea extract all over the rice and mix with wooden chopsticks to distribute colour evenly.
- Return to steamer and cook 10 more minutes until glossy and cooked. Cool slightly (keep warm for wrapping).
Assembly
- Place a softened banana leaf shiny-side down.
- Scoop 2 tbsp warm rice and flatten into a 10 x 5 cm rectangle (1 cm thick).
- Add 1 tsp chicken filling down the center.
- Fold rice over to enclose filling. Roll tightly into a cylinder.
- Fold both ends toward center and secure with bamboo toothpick.
Notes
Serving & Storage
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Reheat by steaming 5–7 minutes.
- Wear gloves when handling blue rice to avoid stained hands.
- Filling can be prepared 1 day in advance.
- For extra aroma, grill wrapped rolls 1 minute per side over low charcoal flame.